Actor and former Member of Parliament Mimi Chakraborty and Deepak Mahajan, whose son died following a horse-carriage accident in New York City, have separately appealed to the West Bengal government to replace horse-drawn tourist carriages with heritage-style electric vehicles.
The appeal comes in the wake of the recent death of a horse in Kolkata that reportedly collapsed on a city road due to severe dehydration and exhaustion. It also follows the passage of “Romanch’s Law” in New York City, which aims to phase out horse-drawn carriage rides after more than 160 years of operation.
In separate letters addressed to West Bengal Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Agnimitra Paul, Chakraborty and Mahajan urged the government to expedite a proposed pilot project involving heritage-style electric carriages and eventually replace horse-drawn tourist rides altogether.
Chakraborty, a supporter of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, said she was deeply disturbed by the suffering and death of the horse in Kolkata. She cited records indicating that at least 19 horses used in the city had reportedly died since 2024 due to road accidents and related injuries. She also referred to a 2026 incident in which police registered an FIR after a carriage horse collapsed on a city road.
Supporting the transition, Chakraborty noted that Mumbai had already replaced horse-drawn carriages with battery-operated Victorian-style electric carriages, creating an alternative source of livelihood for carriage owners while improving animal welfare and public safety.
For Deepak Mahajan, the issue carries a personal tragedy. His son, 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan, died after being injured in a runaway horse-carriage incident in New York’s Central Park in June. According to Mahajan, the horse became frightened and bolted, leading to the fatal accident. The teenager’s death later became a catalyst for renewed efforts to end horse-drawn carriage rides in New York.
PETA India said horse-drawn carriages pose risks to both animals and people. The organisation, along with the CAPE Foundation, has documented cases of horses involved in Kolkata’s tourist carriage business allegedly suffering from malnutrition, illness, injuries and exhaustion.
The organisation has called on the state government to accelerate the introduction of electric heritage carriages and permanently phase out horse-drawn tourist rides. In May 2024, the Calcutta High Court had directed the West Bengal government to explore rehabilitation measures for horse owners and examine the feasibility of replacing horse-drawn carriages, similar to measures adopted in Mumbai.
